Low-supply alarm for gasolene-tanks



E. K. McKISSlCK.

LOW SUPPLY ALARM FOR GASOLENE TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, 1920.

1,395,132. Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

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1 5. a1 2 E- "a. 9 'f' 12 t -1 18 I 25 21 25 INVENTOR.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD K. MCKISSICK, OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA.

LOW-SUPPLY ALARM FOR GASOLENE-TANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

Application filed February 6, 1920. Serial No. 356,770.

To all whom it concern Be it known that I, EDWARD K. MoKIs- SICK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Oklahoma cit in the county of Oklahoma and State of klahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Low-Supply Alarms for Gasolene- Tanks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyin drawings.

The object of the invention is to provide automatic means for giving an alarm when the supply of gasolene or other oil in a tank has reached a predetermined low level.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which the numbers of the different figures are inclosed in circles:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation ofa supply tank and shows attached thereto an alarm device embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental reproduction of Fig. 1 on larger scale, but with the alarm device and a portion of the supply tank shown in section and with an alarm bell substituted for a lamp.

Fig. 3 is a reproduction of a portion of Fig. 2 on a still larger scale, but shows the device after it has closed an-electric circuit.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in all the figures.

In carrying out the object stated, the inventor provides a suitable container 5 of current-conducting material and places the lower portionof the interior of said container in permanent communication with the lower portion of the interior of the suppl tank 6.

n this instance and for reasons shown later, the container 5 is provided with a depending integral tubular extension 7, whose'bore 8 is in permanent communication with the interior of said, container; and

in establishin communication with the tank 6 a lateral tu fl ular arm 9 on the extension 7 is coupled to a nipple 10 on the tank by a union nut 11.

It will be seen that the gasolene 12 or other liquid in the tank 6 will seek its level in the container 5,'and in order that said level may not too quickly rise or fall in the container a portion of the passage from the tank, for example the bore 13 of the lateral arm 9, is made comparatively small.

The upper portion of the interior of the container 5 is vented to the atmosphere through a pipe 14, so that compression or rarefaction of air will not interfere with change of level of the liquid.

In further arranging the device, a float 15 of cork-wood or other suitable buoyant material is inclosed in the container 5 and adapted to move vertically therein as the level of the liquid changes, this float having a depending current-conducting stem 16 which reaches down into the tubular extension 7.

This stem 16 is electrically grounded to the container 5, a practical way to establish the ground being to extend the stem up through the float 15 and connect its upper end to the container by a flexible conductor 17.

The stem 16 is provided with a collar 18 below the float 15 and with a nut 19 above said float, and if the float is found to respond too quickly to change of level of the liquid it may be rendered more inert by addition of a. thin weight 20 which is slipped over the stem 16 and held by the nut.

The lower end of the stem 16 of the float 15 is utilized as one contact-point of an electric switch, and the other contact-point may be the head 21 of a current-conductin bolt 22 which passes down through a bus 23; said bush closing the lower end of the depending extension 7 and being of porcelain or other material that will insulate said bolt fromv the container 5 and from the stem 16.

The bush 23 is held in place with a liquidtight fit by a union nut 24 which is screwthreaded to the lower end of the extension 7.

To complete thedevice, the'lower end of the bolt 22 is connected to some suitable part of the container 5 by electric circuit wiring 25; a bell 26 or lamp 27 being placed in the circuit.

A battery 28 furnishes current for the circuit.

When the tank 6 contains enough liquid to level up to the line A-A or higher, the float 15 holds the lower or contact end of the stem 16 up out of contact with the bolt 22; but if the line of level is lowered by decrease of the supply of the liquid the float allows the lower end of the stem 16 to contact the bolt 22 and thereby close the circuit through the alarm bell or lamp.

As an additional means of preventing too quick response of the float 15 to change of level of the liquid, the lower end of the stem 16 is provided with or formed into a piston 2.9 which loosely fits-the bore 8 of. the extension 7 and acts as a dash-pot.

The float 15 or its weight 20 should fit the container 5 as closely as possible without being bound by friction so as to act as its own dash-pot and prevent its dancing movement in the liquid when joltingmovements are imparted to the container.

The followingis claimed 2- In a device of the class described, a vented liquid container provided with a depending, integral, tubular extension, a lateral arm having a bore therein establishing communication between said extension and a tank, a cylindrical float within said container, a removable Weight carried by said float, a

current conducting stem passing through said weight and float extending to the bottom of said tubular extension, a threaded nipple and insulated bushing, supported thereby, secured to the lower extremity of the tubular extension, a conducting bolt having an enlarged head carried by said bushing; in vertical alinement with said stem, an enlarged head on the lower extremity of said stem constituting a contact point with the conducting bolt when the float is lowered and a flexible conductor secured to theupper terminal of the stem and to the container.

\Vitness my hand this 2nd day of Febru- 30 EDWARD K. MoKISSIG-K.

ary, 1.920. I 

